Allen still got game

It was about an hour after the Boston Celtics headed into the All-Star break with a league-best 41-9 record. They had just schooled the New York Knicks on the parquet, but in the locker room, Filmmaking 101 with Professor Ray Allen was in session.

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By TIM WEISBERG

southcoasttoday.com

By TIM WEISBERG

Posted Feb. 17, 2008 at 12:05 AM

By TIM WEISBERG
Posted Feb. 17, 2008 at 12:05 AM

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It was about an hour after the Boston Celtics headed into the All-Star break with a league-best 41-9 record. They had just schooled the New York Knicks on the parquet, but in the locker room, Filmmaking 101 with Professor Ray Allen was in session.

Standing with a group of four reporters who remained behind after the gaggle had moved on to Paul Pierce, Allen — who played the lead character, Jesus Shuttlesworth, in Spike Lee's 1998 film "He Got Game — sounded more like a movie star than an All-Star.

"In the industry, they don't like you to be too tall, because most people are shorter," Allen explained, before continuing on about two-shots, pan-downs and Tom Cruise standing on an apple crate.

For the record, Allen has appeared in more All-Star games (seven) than he has films (two — he was also in "Harvard Man"), and on that night had been named to his eighth by NBA commissioner David Stern as an injury replacement for the Washington Wizards' Caron Butler. It would be the second straight season he made the team because another player couldn't go, but last season it was more the team he played for, the lowly Seattle Supersonics, that was overlooked rather than Allen himself.

This year, he was the odd man out of the Celtics' new Big 3.

"When I wasn't nominated for All-Star, at the time I was happy for Paul (Pierce, selected as a reserve) and KG (Kevin Garnett was the leading vote-getter) and I'd go get some rest for the second half of the season," said Allen, who had to cancel plans for a quick Bahamian vacation. "Obviously, I'm ecstatic for my career to be able to be an eight-time All-Star. To be able to represent this organization, it's a great time for this organization and the fans. I definitely feel like I'm privileged and in a great situation."

When it was announced Garnett would not play in the game due to a strained abdominal muscle, Detroit's Rasheed Wallace was selected to replace him. It appeared as though Allen would be left out of the festivities, until Butler's left hip flexor strain gave him an opportunity.

"Deserving. Deserving. I'm not going to play him but two minutes, but it was absolutely deserving," Celtics/Eastern Conference coach Doc Rivers said.

As coach of the Eastern squad, Rivers can name who will start in Garnett's absence. It wouldn't be a surprise if he selected Allen, whose cause he has championed for weeks now.

"His numbers have suffered because he sacrificed. And when you sacrifice on a winning basketball team, you should be rewarded for that and not punished for it," Rivers said. "Clearly, if Ray was on another team, he could throw up numbers that would look All-Star worthy and not have wins. But he would rather have wins, and I'm glad that the league recognized that."

After averaging at least 23.0 points per game each of the last five years, including 26.5 ppg. a year ago, Allen is averaging 18.5 ppg this year. Though he's taking 6.2 fewer shots per game this year than last, his 42.6 field goal percentage is on track to be the lowest of his career.

When Rivers informed Allen at halftime of the game against New York, he said the veteran's reaction was typical to his stoic nature — just a knowing nod.

"That's about all you're going to get. He's such an emotional guy," Rivers said sarcastically. "He was happy, you could see it, but he's not going to give you much anyway."

While Allen did an admirable job in "He Got Game," he's always shown better range on the court than in front of the cameras. Still, he was all smiles when discussing his selection. Not for what it meant to him personally, but what it shows about his team.

"It's a great feeling," Allen said. "The great thing about this team so far is we didn't care who did what on this team, and everybody is contributing in some form or fashion. It hasn't mattered what we've done individually, and that's why we've had so much team success."

But the All-Star Game is one of the few times individual performance should be recognized. In addition to Garnett, Pierce and Rivers' involvement, second-year point guard Rajon Rondo was selected to play for the sophomore team in Friday's Rookie Challenge.

"I always thought he should be part of the original 12," Pierce said of Allen. "But he's there and he's going to represent the Celtics with me. I was getting lonely for a minute when Kevin wasn't going to play, and now I have Ray with me, and we'll have a good time."

"He should have been on there outright," Celtics reserve James Posey said. "He deserves to be on there.

"(Look at) how we've been winning, got the best record, what each of the Big 3 have done to help us get there. There should have been no question. They should have been the first three on the team."

Allen is just happy that the Celtics have a place at All-Star Weekend, reminding the league about the turnaround they've made with the trio of Pierce, Allen and Garnett leading the way.

"I think about Boston last year, and their representation was Gerald Green in the dunk contest," Allen said. "To have so many Celtics representing with the first half of the season that we've had, you can walk around and enjoy the success that we've had and let people talk about us and make a fuss over us, and then get back to work in the second half."

While Allen was headed for New Orleans instead of the Bahamas, he did make a stop in New York City to keep a scheduled guest spot on NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" on Thursday night. And when the 6-foot-5 All-Star shared a two-shot with the 6-4 talk show host, they didn't even need the apple crate.

Tim Weisberg covers the Boston Celtics for The Standard-Times. Contact him at timweisberg@hotmail.com